Everything Is Going To Be Okay
by fragileb0nes
Summary: It's the first Saturday night in ages that Melissa has some time to herself, but she can't resist the urge to reach out a helping hand to a friend.


***This week's episode had such a touching scene between Stiles and Melissa that I really loved. It inspired me to write a little something, hope you enjoy!***

* * *

Melissa glanced down at her watch and felt a wave of relief wash over her tired body. "Thank God," She muttered and went to clock out. This was the first Saturday night in ages that she had some time to herself; Scott was at his father's house and a big glass of wine was screaming her name.

"Have a nice night, Melissa." The on-call doctor said with a smile as she passed him in the hallway.

"I sure will." She returned the grin as she rounded the corner.

She was ready to leave, but she knew she had to check first. Besides, her room was on the way out. She stopped and checked the file in the plastic bin on the wall first, like she did everyday. Everyday she opened the file and hoped there would be some optimistic change to see, but there never was. A frown crept up on her face when she realized today was no different.

She quickly wiped the grimace off away with her hand and entered the room with a smile. "Hey, Claudia."

Her friend looked away from the boy sitting upside down in the chair beside her and turned her gaze in Melissa's direction. "Hi, Melissa." She smiled and patted the mattress she was laying on, an invitation to come in and sit. Seeing Claudia's pale, thin face with a smile on it made Melissa feel a weird bittersweetness. It was wonderful to see her smile, but such a shame that she looked so sick.

"Stiles," Melissa nodded in the boy's direction, still grinning.

"Sit right, baby." Claudia scolded softly, unable to keep a straight face as well.

"Sorry," He answered and scrambled to sit right side up.

Melissa took a seat on the foot of the bed, smoothing out the blanket with her hand. "So how are you feeling today? I see they put you on a new round medication. Is it working?"

Claudia closed her eyes and still managed to wear a smile somehow. "It's working alright."

"You feel okay?"

"Tired," She sighed. "I've been trying to stay up, though. Poor Stiles here has been stuck with me all day." She motioned to her son, reaching out and touching his knee.

"It's okay, Mom. I don't mind." He reassured her. He laid his hand on top of hers, patting it twice.

_Poor Stiles_ was right. Melissa could see it painted all over the kid's face. Adderall could only stretch itself so far before his patience and focus and ability to sit still would wear thin. Not only was he trying his best to keep from bursting at the seams, but she knew it must have been hard to spend all his time just staring at his bewildered mother.

"Enough about me though," Claudia turned again to Melissa. "How's everything with you? I've been meaning to ask you. Everything's all hammered out now?"

Melissa pursed her lips and cocked her head. "Things are going okay. We're just finally getting everything in order. I mean, it's been a real pain to get this every-other-weekend thing worked out with Scott's dad, but I think we're getting somewhere."

"Scott's with his dad now, right?" Stiles asked.

"Yeah," Melissa nodded. "I dropped him off there after school yesterday."

Stiles nodded once with eyebrows raised high as he sat back in his chair. She knew exactly what his face meant. Scott never had the nerve to say it out loud to her, but she knew he absolutely hated going to his dad's house. She knew he kept his mouth shut to keep the peace, but she was positive the eight year old sure had a hell of a lot to say about it to his best friend.

"So you've got the night to yourself? Have a glass for me." Claudia smiled and winked.

"Of course." Melissa grinned. She'd have two for Claudia, the woman deserved all the fine wine in the world at that point.

"Well," Claudia exhaled with a feigned annoyance. "My husband should be getting off of work some time this century, then he'll be here." She jolted gently, like an idea struck her. "Stiles, would you do me a favor?"

"Yeah, sure." He stood up quickly.

"Would you go to the vending machine and get me a lemonade?"

"Okay," He nodded and dug a dollar out of his pocket as he dashed out the door.

Claudia turned back to Melissa; the feigned annoyed expression had melted into a real one. "Can I tell you what I want more than the lemonade?" Melissa nodded. "I want to go home." Claudia exhaled and grinned again, but it had a twinge of frustration. "That would make me so happy- to spend a night with my boys at home."

Melissa swallowed before answering and forced a smile. "I would adore to never see you here again."

Claudia laughed and reached out for Melissa's hand, and tucked a piece of her chocolate brown hair behind her ear with the other. "Well, I don't want to hold you up any longer. Thanks for checking up on us."

She nodded and held Claudia's hand in hers. It seemed too small and too cold. Melissa stared at her warm, tawny brown eyes that still sparkled through all of this mess. Her eyes cast down a bit to her friendly smile that she hadn't lost yet either. _This is all so unfair,_ she thought to herself.

"You know what? Let me take Stiles home with me." Melissa blurted out.

"What?" Claudia smiled and narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, I can call and get Scott to come home. Stiles can sleep over."

"Melissa, no." She shook her head. "He slept over your house last weekend. Plus, you've got the house to yourself tonight. I'll feel bad."

"It's not a big deal! I'll swing by your house and he can get some of his things together, I can rent a movie. They'll have a blast."

"Melissa," She repeated with a raised eyebrow, trying her best to look stern.

"Claudia, please, let me do this. Let this be a gift to you. Spend some time with your husband. He works really hard all day and so do you. You guys deserve a moment, don't you think? Even if you have to have it in here."

Claudia stared at her for a few more seconds, then Stiles reentered the room.

"Hey, Mom, here's your lemonade." He said as he set the can on her bedside table. "What's going on?"

"You're coming with me, kiddo." Melissa smiled.

"I am?"

"Yeah! We'll go pick Scott up and then get a movie."

Claudia was obviously trying to drill holes into Melissa with her eyes, and Melissa made it a point not to look back at her.

"Is it okay, Mom?" Stiles asked.

The drilling stare broke and she looked at her son. "Yeah, go have some fun, honey."

"Cool!" He smiled. "Did Dad say-"

"Dad said it was fine." She grinned. "Come here, baby." She reached out for his hand and pulled him close, speaking in a joking, cooed voice. "Now be good for Mommy! I love you!" She chuckled and kissed his face over and over.

"Mom!" He whined and freed himself from her pining grasp.

She laughed again. "You love me, don't you?"

Stiles pursed his lips into a grin as he bent down to kiss his mother. "I love you."

Melissa fished around in her pocket. "Stiles, why don't you go on out and unlock the car for me. Would you be a doll and start it for me too?"

"_Start_ the car?" He repeated as he reached out for the keys.

"Don't make me regret it." She smiled as he went bumbling out the door again at high speeds.

"So, you're letting an eight year old, _my_ eight year old, start your car?" Claudia chuckled.

"Ah, the things I do because I love you." Melissa sighed and stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Melissa, wait." Claudia said as she grabbed Melissa's wrist and gently tugged her down into a hug. "Thank you," She whispered, sounding exhausted. "For everything."

"Of course," Melissa nodded and hugged her friend back, trying not to hold her too tight. "Anything you need."

Claudia let go and grinned again, but it twitched when Melissa saw the grateful tears brimming in her eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Melissa repeated.

"Tomorrow," Claudia nodded. "Love you," She mouthed as Melissa walked out to catch up with Stiles.

* * *

Melissa found Stiles at her car, standing proudly next to it with its engine running. "Nice," She smiled and ruffled his short, brown hair. "Let's get going."

After climbing into the car and heading down the road, Melissa couldn't help but stop at the ice cream place on the way to her ex-husband's house.

"What are we doing here?" Stiles asked.

"Getting you some ice cream. That's cool, right?" She peered into the rearview mirror to see him.

"Of course it is." He said as he got out of the backseat.

"We just won't tell Scott." She winked.

"Even better!"

Stiles got a vanilla-chocolate swirl in a cup, and Melissa even indulged in a little mint chocolate chip. They found a booth by the front window and took a seat. She almost regretted her choice in giving him ice cream at eight-thirty at night, but she knew he deserved it.

"So, any special ladies in the third grade?" Melissa asked, grinning.

Stiles filled his mouth with ice cream, taking his time before answering. "Do you know Lydia Martin?"

"The redhead?"

"She's strawberry blonde." He corrected.

"Sorry," She raised her hands defensively.

"That's what she says she is! Anyway, I think I'm in love with her."

"And she's in love with you too, obviously." Melissa chuckled.

"I'm working on that." He rolled his eyes and rested his forehead against his palm. The tone in his voice indicated that it was a strenuous endeavor. "I think you should start dating again already."

"Stiles," She reprimanded and stuck her spoon into his ice cream.

"Sorry," He laughed and swatted her spoon away. There was a few moments of silence before he spoke up again. "Can I ask you a question?"

"I'm sure you can." Melissa nodded and mixed her ice cream up with her spoon, turning into a makeshift milkshake.

"Is my mom gonna die?"

Her turning spoon came to a halting stop as her eyes shot up to Stiles'. "What?"

"Please don't lie. No one gives me a real answer and that's all I want. I know she's really sick. You don't have to lie. I'm eight- not six, you know."

Melissa stared at him. She studied every inch of his innocent face. She couldn't help but see how much he looked like his mother. The hair, the eyes, the nose, the smile, the same good heart and pure soul. She breathed in through her nose slowly. "I wouldn't lie to you, Stiles. And the answer is- I don't know. I really don't."

"And that's the truth?"

"The honest to goodness truth, kiddo. I don't know."

He pursed his lips and nodded, looking down at the table. "No one seems to know anything." He mumbled.

"Hey," She said as she reached across the table for his hands. "Stiles, I promise, everything is going to be okay. You know that, right?"

He looked up at her, staring at her face for a moment before putting on an understanding grin. "Yeah, I know."

"Good," She smiled. "Now finish up your ice cream so we can hit the road."

* * *

Melissa's brain couldn't stop repeating her own words for the rest of the night. _Everything is going to be okay._ She prayed every night that it would be. And in that moment, with a smile on her son's best friend's face as he thanked her for the ice cream and having him over, everything was okay. And it would be, for a while. For a few weeks. A few short weeks until she was rushing to the hospital waiting room to find a crumpled and shaky version of Stiles, a version with a bleeding hole in his heart the size of his mother.


End file.
